Law and Society

Law is a fundamental expression of any society’s values. As a tool of governance it determines the nature of political regimes, shapes cultural practices and knowledge as well as class relations, defines unacceptable behaviour, and acts as a target for resistance. Historians of law and society seek the operation of law across time and in varied locales. We examine the production of law and legal systems, the development of a concept of social justice and rights, and the lived experience of law and legal regulation. Our interests include youth, rights, and criminal justice in Canadian history; the development of English Common Law and the social relationships that affected it; the relationship between religion and law; and law and the environment.